Vinyl Collecting: Record Store Day 2014

Record Store Day 2014 did not start out very well. Spring colds wrecked our sleeping schedule. We woke up after most of the stores opened, which is an ominous sign if you want rare releases. In addition, we had a five hour trip ahead of us to Panama City, which limited the amount of time (and stores) we had planned to visit. Of course, record store day 2014 was a success. We were able to hit three stores rather quickly. Skully’z Recordz is a tiny (and I mean tiny) but great record store on the quieter side of Bourbon Street in the Quarter. They sold out the records I wanted quickly, with the notable exception of the Gram Parsons album. I quickly picked it up and then just started looking through their impressive collection. Cristina then asks about the RSD 311 releases. She hadn’t said a word about wanting to buy anything on RSD. I thought she was just being supportive of my vinyl collecting. Yet, being a collector of many different things, she could not pass upon buying these releases of one of her favorite bands. The happiness on her face when they had both of them was priceless. Having someone who shares your weird quirks is the key to happiness in this life my friends.  

I also picked up a very good pressing of Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads and The Cure’s first album from Skully’z. Additionally, we picked up a Nick Cave RPM vinyl figure, because who can pass up a little doll of Nick Cave? He did sing our wedding song after all! (It’s Into My Arms, in case you’re wondering.) When then took a walk over to Peaches Records on Decatur. I picked up the new reissue of It Takes a Nation of Millions while Cristina bought a copy of White Blood Cells by the White Stripes. I appreciated that they gave away a free PBR with every purchase but the five-hour trip to Panama City did not think it was a very good idea. We were now officially behind schedule. There were two releases I still wanted: The Cure/Dinosaur Jr. Side by Side of “Just Like Heaven” and the limited reissue of Odyssey and Oracle by the Zombies.   Cristina suggested we go to Euclid Records, which is our favorite record store. In addition, it was technically on the way. Euclid just moved locations in the Bywater so RSD was also their official grand opening. They had been posting pictures of the lines and crowds. There was no line when we got there but the store was packed. Live music was playing and people were crate digging. I was able to find the Zombies record but not the Cure/Dinosaur Jr release. Considering that I think the Odyssey and Oracle is the best album from the sixties not named Revolver or Pet Sounds, I was more than happy with my haul. Cristina again picked up a record. This time it was Phantom of the Opera with Crawford and Brighton and it was in very good condition. We then took the drive to Panama City to have a Saturday Easter dinner with her mom, stepdad, and grandparents. We even found a well-priced copy of Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue 180g reissue at Books a Million in Panama City. RSD2014 was definitely a success.

However, RSD only comes once a year.  If people only supported their local music shops (or any business) just once a year, none of those businesses would survive. Luckily, buying new vinyl can be a cheap hobby. Of course, some of those new releases cost a good bit of money, but used vinyl can come cheap. All the good music stores in New Orleans sell used vinyl. We did not make it Captain’s Vinyl, the Louisiana Music Factory, the Mushroom, or Juan Le Ger Record Shop. But we will and soon. New Orleans is a great place for live and recorded music.

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